Tales of Symphonia : The Gamer
by DarkerLink
Summary: A girl playing her new copy of 'Tales of Symphonia' bbegins to wonder how real the characters are... and finds herself dragged into the midsts of them!
1. Default Chapter

The Gamer

By DarkerLink

Note: I do not own any of the characters or other things from the game.

Chapter 1

Lloyd looked back at the empty space that had been occupied by the girl so few seconds ago. Nothing there hinted that she had been there, grass was untouched and only the wind whispered through the gap. The girl, a brunette with hair long down her back and wearing clothes that seemed outlandish and strange, had appeared for the first time a while ago, before Collette had seen the oracle. That seemed like a lifetime ago.

Lloyd thought back. The first time he had seen her had been in the school in their village Iselia. He had been in class, resting his eyes when he had been startled by a board rubber aimed by his teacher, the Professor. When no-one seemed to believe that he had actually been awake, even when he was standing up! Lloyd looked around the classroom (carefully or else the Professor would notice) and then saw her for the first time.

She stood in the back of the classroom, her pale, insubstantial form against the wall. She was looking at him quietly, a silent chuckle on her lips. She seemed like a shadow, a dream so much that Lloyd wondered whether he had been asleep after all, had been and still was dreaming. Her brown hair lay in trestles down her back, long and thick. Her pale skin was luminous and her eyes were a startlingly pure green. She stayed there but no-one seemed to notice her. The lesson went on and on but the image of the girl stayed in his mind. After a lull in the voices that droned on around him, Lloyd looked around at the space by the wall that the girl had occupied. It was empty.

Lloyd had put that vision out of his mind, thinking it was due to the mind-numbingly boring lesson that was occurring round him. However this idea was soon dashed. He felt eyes on him again and looked behind. Sure enough there was the girl. She still stood behind, but with an expression of excitement and anticipation. There was a flash of light, that came through the window.

The class leapt out of their seats. The time of the oracle was here.

Collette saw the light and her stomach rolled. It was time. The time that she had been born for, the time when her journey that could either save the world, or if she failed, the whole world might suffer. The responsibility that she would have to bear weighed down her shoulders so that she was hunched her shoulders only to straighten them as she realised how many people were depending on her to save them. She would not let them down. She would not fail!

The Professor, Raine Sage, looked at the class and sighed. There would be no more history for the day. Looking at all of the class, Raine noticed a pained expression on the face of the Chosen, Collette. The expression quickly was put under a mask but Raine understood her anxiety. So much depended on this blonde haired girl. She sighed, as the class started whispering to each other.

"Settle down, class. It seems that the time of the oracle has come. I will ga and check the chapel. Everyone," as she gave a hard look at Lloyd and her brother, Genis, who looked ready to argue, "stay here and study on your own. Understand?" She doubted that anyone would, but at least they would not openly disobey her which would stop people following her to the chapel. Collette, however, stood up.

"I'll go with you!"

Raine looked at her nervous face, worried about the pressure that was on the girl.

"No, Collette," she said gently, "If it is the oracle, the priests will come here for you. Wait here with everyone else.

Disappointment but relief on her face, Collette agreed.

The girl stood and watched the drama unfold. As she pressed against the wall, although she could not feel the rough texture of the paint, she could see the whole room. She watched the different expressions play across everyone's faces with dread mixing with excitement and hope. She herself was full of the infectious hope, although she did not fully understand what the 'oracle' was…

Lloyd suddenly felt cold, as though he was not alone. The girl from before had disappeared physically 'like a ghost' he thought, but still he could feel her, as if she shared his body and consciousness. The feeling passed and he got up to leave.

Genis couldn't believe his eyes! His friend had clearly heard what it was that his sister had said, and she was not one that you should cross! Knowing that he had to stop his friend before he got into more trouble, Genis shouted, "Lloyd! Where are you going? Don't tell me your sneaking out! Raine will get mad!"

Lloyd gave his friend an amused grin.

"I'm really curious to find out what really happens when Collette receives the oracle." Lloyd grimaced. "They always talk about the Chosen of Regeneration and the Day of Prophesy, but no-one tells us what really happens!"

Genis was also fired with curiosity at the idea of the oracle, but he was also more 'acquainted' with his sister's methods of discipline…Knowing his friend would think that he was whining, he tried , "But my sister said to stay and study by ourselves…"

"Okay, fine. Sheesh..." Lloyd was predictably annoyed, but did actually listen to his friend who tried to justify it. "Honestly, Lloyd. It's not pretty when Raine gets mad."

A glance told Genis that his friend was annoyed by the excuses, and also disappointed that he would not be able to see Collette 'in action'. "Man... I was really looking forward to seeing what happens with the oracle."

The discussion stopped as one of the Pastors of the chapel stumbled through the door, with a desperate look in his eyes. He glanced through the room and gasps out "Chosen one!" Collette stands in shock for a moment, and then runs over to him. She plucks at his sleeve saying "Pastor?"

The whole class watched the scene unfold, including the insubstantial girl who, having withdrawn from Lloyd, sat in the furthest corner of the room. She also had worry in her eyes, and was saddened at what was happening.

The pastor explained what had happened. Apparently, at this critical time, the Desians at the ranch nearby had broken the non-aggression treaty that had been set up to keep the Chosen safe. They had attacked the chapel where the Chosen was to receive the oracle. The pastor finished off by whispering "Chosen one… hurry… receive the oracle…" As Collette nodded her agreement, the pastor seemed to be more at peace.

"Please… be careful… I regret that I was unable to… pro… tect… the …Cho…"

At this the pastor's body relaxed into the limp lifelessness of death.

Sobbing, Collette called out "Pastor… Please hang on!" but Lloyd, his eyes stinging, carefully helped Collette up. In the soft voice of sympathy, he gently said, "It's no good… He's gone."

"No!"

Collette headed for the door, muttering "I'm going…" to the silent room. Genis however stopped her, reminding her that there were Desians outside…

Lloyd was worried for his friend, Collette. She tried so hard to be the Chosen that sometimes she seemed to forget that she was herself and that she had the right to her own life. She felt that because of her duty, there was no time that she could live for herself and actually have fun. She was nervous, that he could tell from under her mask, nervous and scared. He could understand this; for she would need to save the entire world and the last Chosen had failed, paying with her life. However what he couldn't understand was that she didn't seem to trust anyone enough to talk to them about her feelings. He had to be honest, it hurt a little thinking that she didn't trust him as much as he trusted her, but he kept his frustration private, thinking that telling anyone would make the problem worse.

Collette was frustrated. She didn't want anyone else to get hurt, especially her friends, Lloyd and Genis, the only ones who didn't treat her as if she was made of glass, mainly Lloyd, the only one who ever made her feel safe…

"I'm going too."

Lloyd said this with a definite tone, brooking no argument. Almost in the same way as Professor Raine would, Lloyd quoted "Dwarven Vow #1: Let's all work together for a peaceful world. Let's go!"

"Wait, I'm going too!" shouted Genis. He couldn't let his friends go off into danger without him!

Collette looked at her friends. They were so brave to help her when they didn't need to, brave to go into danger for her. She hoped that she could be as good people as the two before her. All she could stammer was a "Thanks, both of you," so faint that she wasn't sure her friends could really hear her.

Lloyd heard.

The girl watched through it all. She felt that she knew all of the characters, measured up their strength, not in fighting but in the determination and the loyalty of them. Especially Lloyd. Somehow she had made a connection with the stubborn boy, almost as if he could see her. She thought that at one point he had looked round at her and looked at her directly, but that must have been her imagination…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As the party of friends left the school, they looked around the usually busy street. There was no-one around. There was the scent of blood in the air, and the ominous silence reigned. The spell was such that the group could not but think of who may have died, whether they would also die before the day was out. In that noisy silence a shout rang out, one that echoed through the street. As Collette's name bounced and repeated, Frank, who was her adoptive father, came running up behind them, breathless and gasping. As he stopped, getting his air back, the group crowded around him, eager to find out if the Desians had really attacked the village. Was it really the end of their non-aggression treaty, and was the village, the village that they had lived in most of their lives, doomed?

Frank was quick to get to the point. What they knew was true. Yes, the village had been attacked and yes, it did appear to be the Desians. Also, they were headed to the Temple, which was where Phaidra, Collette's adopted grandmother, was. Fear for Phaidra drove them, fear for the elder that had always seemed to watch over the village with the eye of a hawk. Without that quiet leadership what would they do?

Collette was scared. This was what she had been waiting for, ever since she had known who she was, ever since she was born. Destiny seemed to bear her away on its golden wings, and she had no choice but to go along for the ride, even though it might end up as her death. Fear shook her as the dreadful responsibility of what she had to do, carrying the fates of all the humans in the world that they lived in. But she was not alone. Her friends were beside her and would help her. What else could she ask for in this quest? Collette looked towards the gates of the village, the route to the Temple. There was no way she would fail! With all those people depending on her, she would fight to the very end and do what prophesy demanded of her.

Heading out, there were monsters prowling. The noise of their growls, shrieks and yelps provided a daunting background for the party. They were inexperienced having never really fought for anything apart from training. Lloyd was enthusiastic at first, but the battles were draining and he ended up tired and bored. As wolves attacked from the bushes and zombies came from the shadows under trees, the party forged their way to the Temple. Lloyd felt that the temple could not come fast enough. Luckily as they passed the next bend, the Chapel came into sight.

It was a cold place, normally abnormally still but this was shattered by the sounds of voices up ahead. As they ran up the stairs, the sounds of swords being drawn pulled them on faster and faster. As they topped the stairs, Phaidra shouted to them.

"Run!"

As the Desians became aware of those behind them, Lloyd drew his twin swords and held them out in front of him, keeping the Chosen out of danger. The half-elves, for that is what the Desians were, turned their attention from the old woman to the children that had just approached them.

"Who are you?"

The one who spoke was the leader of the group. He held a double handed battleaxe as though it was as light as a feather. Veins stood out on his muscles and he scowled angrily at them.

Lloyd trained his eye on him, looking the man that was twice the size of him up and down. A wiry grin came to his face.

"Tell me your name and Ill tell you mine!"

The man ignored the boy before him and searched the other group. He stopped, his eye on Collette behind Lloyd. Looking at her he phrased the question.

"Is the Chosen among you?"

Before Lloyd or any of the others could stop her, Collette piped up.

"Oh that's me!"

He stared at the children, for children was what they were. They were not worth his effort. The taller boy was impetuous and inexperienced from his stance and attitude, the girl chosen seemed clumsy, and the younger boy was so small he would have no chance. With a curt nod he sent his guards to take care of the small problem. The guards ran forward and attacked the children. After a few blows the fight was over… but not in the way that he had expected. The guards lay unconscious, strewn around the paved area before the chapel.

He sighed and urged his fighter forward. Vidarr, with his double edged axe sharpened carefully, would be more than a match for these 'kids'.

Vidarr strode forward. He was confident that he could beat these people who stood so arrogantly in front of him. The only thing he felt for the other guards was contempt for their weakness that had made him have to fight. This would be over quickly… but not too quickly. As he laid about with his deadly axe, they were no match, for all they tried to do was to dodge out the way, and they were already panting heavily. The taller boy's legs collapsed and he knelt next to his friends.

"This guy is too strong!"

The axe made its way towards the unprotected group. Just as it was about to fall, a flash of purple and silver knocked it away from them. There was a stunned silence and the blur stopped. It was a man of remarkable strength and speed, whose sword was crossed with the deadly axe of Vidarr. He wore purple suit with tails flying of his shoulders, and his hair was a rich brown-red, that blew in the wind. His face was determined, set in a frown, as if this was not worthy of his attention. This could have been true as a few blows later the fight was done. Vidarr lay on the ground, his axe flung out of his grasp and thudded into the ground beside him.

His warrior had fallen. With the new arrival there was no possibility of confrontation, or at least no chance of winning. The chosen would have to wait until he had gone, or until he could get her alone, and who knew when that would be! However instead of directly going for the Chosen, maybe they could use that boy… but later. He gestured curtly with his head and the group ran past the children and out of the reach of that annoying man…

He surveyed the children. One of them, the girl, had to be the chosen. No doubt that the other two were hangers on, wanting to be part of an adventure. This was no child's game! Who in their right mind would actually let these impetuous youngsters out on this type of journey? But there was something in the way that the brown-haired boy stood, his attitude and … something… that reminded him of himself a long time ago.

"Wow! He's amazing!"

Lloyd looked at the man who had appeared and saved their life, though he didn't like to admit it even to himself. He looked strong, fast, experienced…everything he was not but everything he wanted to be. Who was he to come in and save them! They would have been fine even without his interference! The man asked their names.

"Who are you to ask for our names?"

Genis winced at hearing that annoying line come out of his friend's mouth. It was the singular most annoying phrase that anyone had ever come up with! However it was out now, and although the man stared steadily at Lloyd for a moment, he did answer with his name - Kratos Aurion. As the man started to berate Lloyd for allowing the Chosen to get in danger, Genis could see the anger levels rising. He was not honestly surprised, given that he was probably the best swordsman in Iselia, but this man was easily a lot better than him, not only that but had saved their lives! As the air got more and more heated around them, Genis decided enough was enough.

"Lloyd, calm down!"

He was stunned. There was no way… "You are Lloyd?" As the boy, Lloyd nodded an affirmative, he could not believe it. After all this time, all the pain spent searching for this boy…and looking at the exsphere mounted and clearly visible on his hand, he was indeed…

This was the first time that Lloyd had seen the man - Kratos he corrected himself - off balance… and from his name? There was nothing special about him, except that he was a swordsman but this Kratos was as well. There should be no reason to react to his name like that, and also for the glance, almost like horror, that followed it. However the cool façade reasserted itself and Kratos offered his services to Phaidra for the protection of the Chosen, in return for monetary reward. Phaidra, with no real choice, agreed. Then they came on to the matter of Lloyd. Kratos was very against the idea…

"You will only get in the way! You are not coming with us!"

"Fine…then I'll just follow you!"

sigh "I had a feeling you would say that…"

After that was settled and Genis was also invited to come, by Lloyd of course, the party set off into the heart of the temple to the excitement of Lloyd… and the dismay of Kratos.

"It's not a field trip you know!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The double doors swung open into the temple. There was an awed silence, until Lloyd broke it by running into the middle of the room. The others soon followed, touching the walls preserved by dust and looking at the strange carvings that decorated the echoing halls. No-one could but wonder if they were the first to touch these ancient walls in hundreds of years. The ancient temple of Martel was overflowing with a golden, pulsating light that flickered through the corridors of old and bathed them in its invigorating glow.

That colour was the same as Collette's hair.

As they entered the temple, in front of them was another door, covered with a blue plasmatic substance, at odds with the beautiful gold light. They walked up to it, and Lloyd lost himself in the swirling lines and patterns in the door. Dreamily, he reached forward a hand… and Kratos knocked it away sharply.

"Do not touch something you do not understand!"

Kratos touched a discarded torch gently, and pulled it from its rusted cradle. With one hand he held the torch, and then touched the torch to the plasma. There was a flash of blue light which caused everyone to turn away, and then as the glare faded from their eyes, Kratos held up the torch, the end melted away. The group stood for a minute, as comprehension of what had almost befallen them dawned. Kratos turned from the door and walked away, saying "There is nothing that can be done, without a powerful artefact such as the horn of a unicorn, or a sorcerers ring." The rest of the party trailed after, Lloyd glancing back at that which may have claimed his hand.

Kratos sighed as he though how close he had been to loosing Lloyd, for what he did not show was that anything living that touched the sorcerer's fire was instantly consumed. He berated himself, thinking how he had only seen what was happening almost too late. There would be no turning back from this temple, but whatever the cost, he would have to try and make Lloyd stay in Iselia, and not come on the Journey of Regeneration. He was not a strong enough swordsman, too curious and knew too little of the world to come on such an important journey. Also, he had an uncanny habit. Sometimes he would turn and look at something that was not there, and then smile…

She was watching again. Lloyd had turned his head, and there was the girl. She drifted behind them, looking curiously at the surroundings, but her feet never touched the ground. He saw her looking at him, and turned his head back, a secret smile on his face. He did not know why he did so, but there was no stopping the smile that crept out at the thought of a silent, ghostly girl.

Lloyd though of how much of that girl he had seen since they had left Iselia. She trailed behind them, looking at each of them. When enemies came, she stood back and watched the fight, not moving. After this had happened, Lloyd was worried that she had been scared, and that if the monsters saw her, they may attack her, but she faded away and reappeared behind him, a puzzled look on her face, as if she doubted what he had just done. He took the message and concentrated on the monsters rather than the girl in future battles.

The girl was still watching, he could feel her gentle eyes on the back of his head, and a faint happiness that surrounded him whenever she was near. He could not but think and guess at where she had come from, and why she was there, but the main thing that piqued his curiosity was the fact that none of the others seemed to acknowledge her existence. In the silence of this cool tomb, he pondered.

They walked into a room that burned like fire, the heat pushing up against their faces with the ferocity of the desert. Heat waves twisted in front of them, and beyond there, shapes of fire burnt into their mind, their flaming swords raised and their beady eyes looking around, ready to fight. Many times the group dodged around these marauders and other creatures that patrolled those ancient halls. Eventually they came to a room with lava below, and holes in the floor to the area below. The group sat down to rest.

Collette walked across the incomplete floor, until she reached a large rock. She gently glanced her fingers across the stone… and recoiled as she felt a pulse of heat and life shudder through the rock, which rose up and advanced on her. She stumbled backwards and fell, and Lloyd and the others interceded between her and the rock monster.

The monster was dispatched quickly, but it remained in the same form as it had been before Collette touched it. It was heavy, but movable, as Collette found by falling over onto the rock, pushing it into a nearby hole. It fell down and slotted into a gap in the pathways below. The monster reappeared, and Kratos called the others over to fight it again. Lloyd thought that this was pointless, as there was no use for indiscriminately killing monsters, but as the party dispatched the monster, and Kratos pushed it into another hole, he realised that what they were doing was completing the pathways below.

They ran down the steps near the rock monster, and ran along a newly found pathway. At the end of it was a couple of fire birds, warriors and a treasure chest. Lloyd walked over to the chest and flipped the lid open, then reverently pulling out the twin katanas that lay within. They were iron, encrusted with rust but the edges were still sharp. He picked up his old wooden blades and picked up the iron, trying a few cuts through the air with them. They fit his hand like a glove, but when they hit the walls, Kratos winced from the sound of decade's old rust. He sighed when he realised that Lloyd would not know how to sharpen these metal blades, and quietly motioned for the group to rest, as he taught Lloyd the basics of sword cleaning. The wooden ones lay discarded in the corner, until a chance flame caught them up, and they burned into ash, scattering over the floor.

They followed some steps that mounted up and in front of them lay a pedestal, upon it lying a small nondescript ring, lines and colours flashing round its plain exterior. There was a magical glow surrounding it, the impossibly red flames that burned throughout the ring, and the pulsating light from the podium, that matched Collette's hair in its milky honey shade. Lloyd crossed the room and stood over the ring. He glanced at Kratos, but the mercenary was crouching in front of the artefact.

"This is the ring of the great hero, Mithos. This must have been placed here a long time ago to help any who followed in his path. It is weakened through time, but it should be enough for our purposes."

Lloyd gaped, thinking about the hero who he had always looked up to, the hero that had stopped the great Kharlan war. He may have been the last one who had touched the ring. He looked to Kratos who nodded and said, "Take the ring, it will not hurt you."

He took the ring, its form still flaming and held it in his hand. The ring was not on fire, but it was slightly warm to touch. He placed it on his finger, and held his hand out.

No one, except Kratos, was expecting the fireball that was emitted from the ring. It rushed through the party and exploded into the wall, leaving a large smudge of ash.

"H..hey," Genis said, "watch where you point that thing!"

Lloyd apologised to his friend, and then a sly smile slid across his face.

"I bet I can have a lot of fun with this!"

Sighing, Raine ushered them towards the exit, to go back to the mysterious door that they had come across earlier. They now had the sorcerers ring, but they still needed to find the oracle, before the end of the day. If they did not… the results did not bear thinking about.

At last they stood before the door to the inner sanctuary that led to the oracle and the fate that awaited the Chosen when she got there. Would they find the truth about Collette? There was no way of knowing, until they went in.

A fireball smothered the blue pulsations, covered the blue fire till they and the red fire were one. They merged together and died down, the light gone and the entrance open.

Bearing their resolve, the friends strode into the darkness, and to whatever fate dealt them…


End file.
